Just got chicks, now I'm worried about the dog.

[whasittoya]

I got 4 chicks on Sunday and since then the dog has been really fascinated by them. He sits and stairs at them all the time and I am more than a little concerned. So far there has been nothing aggressive, and I am wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience. Does anyone have advice for introducing them once they are bigger?

 

[Aubrinator]

Maybe you could put the chickens in a raised, funneled position, so the dog can't get in, but the chickens can pop him on the nose if it gets too close. He will then draw back and leave them alone. My puppy learned this way too, but not on purpose.

 

[PotterWatch]

Frankly, my advice is to make sure they have their own dog-proof area. I know that there are people who have dogs that can be trusted around their chickens, but your dog is probably more likely to eat them than not. When we got our chickens, they were allowed to free-range around the yard. After almost a year of no problems, our dog (who had been raised with them since he was a pup), killed one. We now have them in their own run and the dogs don't bother them unless someone accidentally leaves the run door open (which has sadly happened twice now). Any that have gotten out of the run have been killed. I will never allow a dog to roam with my chickens again.

 

[jen5680]

Oh my dog loves her some chicken nuggets!!! I don't dare leave her near them at all
but I do no people that have dogs that are fine with them so??? Better safe than sorry!!

 

[whasittoya]

They have a dog/coyote/raccoon proof run for when they are older. As it is now, they are in a secure bin and he is never left alone with them. We have been keeping him on his bed and away from the babies but he seems to be very curious about them. I am hoping that the first time he gets pecked in the nose it will cool him down, it worked for the cat and now he is kinda scared of her.

 

[Higins00]

you put the dog on a leash and have someone hold him and you grab a chick in your hand, just with the little head peeking out. Let your dog smell it by you moving to your dog who should be sitting. Tell him Nooooo Easyyyyy. Do this several times and eventually it will be no big deal.

 

[dianaross77]

We have a "chick zone" on the floor made of painters tape. It makes a perimeter about a foot in each direction. Only humans are allowed in the zone. If any dog gets a foot in the zone they get hollered at or something light thrown at them. It doesn't hurt them but its enough to snap them out of it. Fascination leads to predation. That said, my dogs all behave well around our grown seramas. I wouldn't let them out of my sight but the key is to desensitize the dog. Our bullmastiff mix is our most prey-driven dog. I made her lay down on the floor and placed the rooster on top of her.But only after she is totally relaxed. I think it helps her to feel that they have unpleasant nails. I did this with our ducks too. Any of my dogs get a correction if they so much as look at the chickens a certain way. Mouth closed, ears forward stare. That is the beginning of intensity.

 

[noodleroo]

He does look pretty interested. If he is trained well enough to 'sit' and 'stay', you could try holding one in your hands in front of him and saying 'mine'. Then make sure he knows what 'mine' means. Here's a pic of my dog who is really great with the chicks and chickens. She was no problem at all...

 

[gokan68]

I have the same issue, my miniature pinscher is wound up with my 3 new chicks. I pick her up and let her look at the girls, but she shakes and whines a bunch. Not sure how to go about getting her acclimated to them.

~gokan68

 

[whasittoya]

Thank you so much for your suggestions Dianaross77, I'm looking for the painter's tape right now. He really is a cowered about most other animals (he's bad experiences with cats and Chihuahuas which made him nervous about small things) so I am hoping to get him to see that chasing the girls is not his fun new past time.